We need to talk
by SiriusFic
Summary: "What I'm saying, Ash ... Ash, I wasn't supposed to fall for my best friend!" Misty practically yelled the last part... - AAML, updated for formatting.


**WE NEED TO TALK**  
Author: SiriusFic  
Category: Fanfic  
Genre: Romance  
Story Basis: Pokemon  
Main Characters: Ash, Misty  
Rating: PG  
  
"Ash? Ash! Wake up Ash ..." came a voice, as Ash awoke. It was still the dead of night and he groaned as he looked at his travelling companion, fourteen year old Misty Waterflower, who was shaking him awake by the shoulder and leaning over him, her hair falling in her face as she whispered his name.  
  
"Misty, it's ... three in the morning!" Ash said, checking his watch as he sat up in his sleeping bag, rubbing his eyes. He looked around and back to Misty. "Well, doesnt look like there's something bad happening, and in four years you've never come crawling to me over a nightmare, so what's this about?"  
  
"I had a nightmare. Oh come on Ash, I wanted to talk to you ..." she said, suddenly looking rather flustered. "Alone. Without Brock watching us."  
  
Ash got out of his sleeping bag, slipped on his shoes, and being careful not to wake Pikachu, followed Misty to the shore of the lake they were camping by for the night. He stood for a moment, looking at the scenery; the hilly, barely forested outline of the other side of the lake, the moonlight reflecting off the surface, the few scattered clouds in the night sky. He sat on a log next to Misty, looking across at her, wondering what this was all about. The gentle breeze blew her firey orange hair back a little, and the moonlit lake reflected in her aqua eyes. She looked nervous, but he waited on her to say something.  
  
Finally, Misty spoke, her voice almost shaking. "Ash, how long have we known each other?"  
  
"Four years ... what's wrong, Mist?" Ash asked, suddenly becoming rather scared. Was Misty planning to go back home?  
  
"We're really close right? I ... I mean, nothing can ... take what we have away, right?" Misty asked, sounding even more nervous.  
  
"No Misty, of course not ... Misty ... Mist, what's wrong? You're not leaving or anything, are you?" Ash looked into Misty's eyes, wondering what was going on.  
"Ash ... no, I ... I'm not going anywhere, unless you want me to ...." she answered.  
  
"Misty, don't be ridiculous! Why would I want you to go?" Ash asked, becoming very confused. Misty looked as though she was about to say something, her eyes suddenly filling with tears, but then blinked them away, got up and walked to the edge of the lake. She stood there, arms crossed and silently watching the reflection of the moon in the water. Ash got up and walked over to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Misty, what's wrong? Just tell me." he said.  
  
Misty turned to face Ash and fixed her eyes on the ground, biting her lower lip. "Um ... never mind Ash, I ... I'll ... um ... I'll tell you another time" With that she turned and ran back to the camp site, a rather bewildered Ash watching her go. He soon followed, pulled his sleeping bag closer to hers and got into it.  
  
"Misty? Is everything alright?" He asked. She nodded, her back facing him. "Well we need to talk, soon, okay?" Another nod. Ash lay in his sleeping bag, wondering what was going on with Misty. Surely she couldn't also ... no, that was impossible. He saw Misty make a motion that looked suspiciously as though she was wiping her eyes. Ash wondered what this was all about, the last time he had seen Misty cry, she thought Togepi was going to die. But Togepi was just fine, just as all her other Pokemon. She had not fought with anyone, or even had a squabble, for the entire week. So what was wrong? "Misty, are you hurt?" he asked. She shook her head. "Sick?" Misty shook her head again. "Night Misty"  
  
"Night" she whispered.  
  
It was a while before Ash fell asleep, and it wasn't long before he found himself waking up again. The morning sunlight was reflecting across the lake and filtering through the trees. It was a truly beautiful sight, if his mind hadn't been occupied with what happened that night. He went to the edge of the lake to wash up, then returned to have some breakfast.  
  
"Alright you two, WHAT is going on here???" Brock asked irritably after fifteen minutes of silence.  
  
"Nothing" Ash and Misty replied together.  
  
"You're both QUIET! That never happens! Look, I want to double back to that settlement and grab some supplies, I'll only be about two or three hours. Is it alright to leave you two alone today???" Brock said, looking quite frankly worried about this unusual behaviour.  
  
"Yeah Brock, we'll be fine" Ash replied, shooting a look at Misty, who nodded.  
  
It wasn't long before Brock had set off down the hill towards a small settlement of houses and a general store the trio had passed the night before. It was too small for a Pokemon Center or an inn, so they decided to camp out instead. "Misty," Ash said, once Brock was gone. "So tell me, what's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing Ash." Misty said.  
  
"Misty, you woke me up at three in the morning last night! Come on tell me what's going on!"  
  
"Nothing, its girl stuff okay?" she lied, kicking a pebble out of the way, which Pikachu had to jump away from and shot Misty a death glare.  
  
"Girl stuff huh?" Ash asked disbelievingly. "Since when did you decide to talk about that stuff with me???"  
  
"Look Ash it's nothing alright? Just leave me alone!"  
  
"Alright fine! Don't tell me!" With that, Ash walked a little way off, sitting on the fallen log at the lake shore and brushing Pikachu's fur.  
  
"I'm sorry Ash" Misty said softly after a few minutes, standing near the log, looking across the lake with folded arms. Pikachu jumped out of Ash's arms and shot him a look that said "Give her a chance!" then scampered off to play with Togepi. "You don't know Ash, you can't know, what it's like ..." she said, as Ash got up and walked up beside her. Her eyes remained fixed on the horizon.  
  
"I don't know what ... what's like, Misty?" he asked gently, not believing they were having this conversation. They always laughed or joked, or fought, but never had he heard Misty talk like this.  
  
"Back at home, Ash, I mean, I know my sisters look out for me and stuff, but you've seen how they are with me ... and I told you before how my parents died when I was seven ... it's a lot to take, really ... eventually i just wanted to leave everything behind and ... and I did ... I ran away ... and ran into you." A slight smile crossed Misty's face, but then disappeared again. "And when I had to watch the gym for a while, Ash ... there was nothing I wanted more than to come back here ... the day my sisters came back I went looking for you and Brock again ..."  
  
"I missed you a lot too, Misty" Ash said. "You know that ... but what are you saying?"  
  
"Ash, when you think of what's most important to you, its probably your Pokemon, or your mother, right?" Misty asked, a slight waver in her voice. "Ash, what if i told you, that the most important thing in the world to me is my fourteen year old best friend? Huh? That ... that's ..."  
  
"Misty ..." Ash said, feeling the heat rising in his face. "What are you saying?"  
  
"What I'm saying, Ash ... Ash, I wasn't supposed to fall for my best friend!" Misty practically yelled the last part, turning to face Ash, blushing furiously, fists clenched as a tear streaked its way down her cheek. "You're the only person who means anything to me and I didn't want to ruin that, but it's too late!" With that, she took Ash's face in her hands and kissed him firmly on the lips, then, looking absolutely terrified, tears pouring down her face, darted over to pick up her backpack and Togepi and ran away from the campsite, through the trees and out of sight.  
  
"Misty ... MISTY!" Ash called, shocked. He ran after her but stopped after a short way, not seeing any sign of her, and fell to the ground, touching his lips. "Misty ... why ..."  
  
  
  
"ASH! MISTY! Where are you?" Came a voice from not too far away. Brock had returned. Ash got up and walked dejectedly back to camp. "Ash!" Brock called, as Ash emerged into the campsite. "Where's Misty? What's wrong?"  
  
"MISTY! MISTY?!" Ash and Brock were now combing through the surrounding woods. Ash had told Brock what had happened and they were now searching for her, hoping she hadn't gotten too far. "MISTY! Come on it's alright!" Ash called, parting some bushes as he made his way through.  
  
"PI PI PI!" Pikachu called, searching around as well, as Noctowl swooped overhead.  
  
"It's no use Pikachu, she's gone." Ash said with a heavy heart, after searching for hours. "I shouldn't have let her go." he said, his eyes burning. The sun was setting, soon they wouldn't be able to look for Misty no matter how hard they tried. However, as Ash looked down at Pikachu, he could see Pikachu staring through some bushes, ears pricked. He parted the bushes and looked through them. His heart skipped a beat. Misty was sitting on the ground near the shore, leaning against a tree and hugging her knees, staring off at the lake. Her eyes were bloodshot and he had never seen such a miserable expression on her face. Ash pushed his way through the trees, Pikachu at his heels, just as Noctowl came flying through the clearing as well, landing next to Misty.  
  
Misty looked up at him, tears filling her eyes again, but she didn't say anything. Ash cautiously approached her, and nervously kneeled down at her side, brushing a tear off her cheek. Ash, his voice shaking more than it ever had, simply said "You never let me answer." He put his arms out tentatively, then enveloped her in a warm hug. "Don't you ever run off like that again" he said, closing his eyes and refusing to let go.  
  
  
  
A few minutes later, Brock found his way into the clearing as well, but hung back, a slight smile on his face as he saw the dark shapes of two people pulling away from what appeared to be a kiss. The boy helped the girl to her feet, and still holding hands, turned to face him. At their feet were three more shapes; what appeared to be a large rat with a strangely angular tail, a walking egg, and a bird. He couldn't make out any more details because of the setting sun in the background, but he didn't need to see any more to know who they were.  
  
  
  
  
**DISCLAIMER / RANT / WHATEVER ELSE**  
I do no own Pokemon or its characters. If you want to talk to the people who do, contact Nintendo. This is my attempt at an actual romance story between Ash and Misty, you know - where they actually come out with it? My last fic with this stuff, "Don't Worry" didn't have such an ending, it was never meant to. I tried to do this one without becoming sickeningly sappy, but i know it probably is still sappy. My apologies. Bottom line? I still like this story, and i still dislike Togepi, as demonstrated with my ending below, also used on my "Don't Worry" fic.  
  
Misty: ASH! ASH! Where is my Togepi?!?  
Ash: I don't know Misty! I thought you had it!  
Brock: Ash! Misty! Hurry up, your omlette's getting cold!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
